Forgotten Dreams
by Midnight Phantasma
Summary: It seemed the Ark could be a transport to places other than just this world, and Allen Walker was its next victim. But what is Allen to do when he lands amongst the pair of Walker brothers, in a place where there is no war? Is he willing to leave everything he's known behind, for the sake of happiness?
1. Interwoven Realms

**A/N:** To prove to everyone that I am _always_ writing despite the lack of updates, I've decided to publish some of my newer projects. If you've chanced a look at the options on my poll, I _have_ started most of them, but I won't be publishing those anytime soon since I'm already biting off more than I can chew. I pretty much use all my free time to write, but I'm not always working on what my readers expect of me.(x Haha, well I hope you enjoy this new installment of mine!(:

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 **Disclaimer** **:** No~!

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Chapter 1

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 **Time Frame — Afternoon of November 1st, 1863**

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— **3rd Person POV—**

 **~Allen~**

"… Is he dead?" were the first words Allen managed to discern through the depths of unconsciousness; and they certainly weren't the most comforting.

"Don't be such a dunce, Neah, the kid may look like a train wreck, but he I'm sure he's alive…" This statement was followed by someone gently prodding him, and with a small, pained groan, Allen forced his heavy lids to sluggishly flicker open, his blurred vision obscured by a pair of near-identical faces and swaying, reddish-mahogany locks.

"Oh, shit! Is that Allen?!" the first voice shouted in a panicked tone, which belonged to the spiky-haired male. What was his name? … Neah? But why did that name sound so familiar…?

"It can't be…" the other boy said doubtfully, and Allen's mercury eyes slowly flitted to him, and despite the drastic age difference, Allen would recognize those big, kind brown eyes anywhere.

"… Mana?" the white-haired teen mumbled, utterly baffled, and wondering if he was dreaming; it was the pain running rampant through his battered body that shattered that illusion.

"Bloody hell!" Mana cursed, swiftly ordering Neah, "Come on! We better take him back to the house!"

Allen recoiled in pain, as the pair worked together to lift him up, jostling him as they hurried from wherever it was that they'd been. Fortunately for the hurt boy, the trip wasn't overly prolonged, and before he knew it, he was being set down on something soft and cushiony with his head propped up—a couch, maybe?—and imperceptible shouts flitting above his head, as the pair scrambled around trying find anything they could use to patch him up. Allen was unsure as to the passage of time that transpired, and he was pretty sure he'd drifted off numerous times, but when he was finally able to fully open his eyes with clearer vision, it was to find himself clean, dressed in a pair of comfortable pajamas and tucked underneath a blanket, and in addition, could feel the copious, and surprisingly soft, bandages encasing most of his body. Allen felt that this was a bit of overkill, but he was plenty comfortable, so why complain?

"He's awake!" someone exclaimed from his left, and glancing up so fast that it caused him to reel, momentarily feeling woozy and nauseous, he never did find out who it was that had spoken, because by the time his head cleared, it was to find a pair of earnest expressions before him.

"Allen?" the teenager who he was absolutely sure was Mana, asked hesitantly. Allen could only stare at him with wide, earnest eyes, drinking in his appearance. The teen before him looked so innocent, with large, bronze colored eyes gazing at him worriedly, wavy strands of dark auburn hair framing his youthful face, the rest pulled back into a low ponytail.

Eventually, the white-haired teen forced himself to speak up in a choked up voice, feeling as if he were about to cry, "Mana?"

It seemed this was the only response the pair needed, because they suddenly sighed in relief, exclaiming, "Allen!" and pulling him into a fierce hug. Too befuddled with the situation at hand, Allen could only sit there, unresponsive, wondering how on earth he'd ended up here of all places; in a place where both Mana, and his brother, Neah—he was unsure as to how to feel about _him_ —were… _alive_. When they finally pulled back, Neah was the first to demand, "Allen, what _happened_ to you?! You don't… You don't look _anything_ like yourself…"

Allen blinked in surprise, looking up into his honey colored eyes. "W-what do you mean?"

Mana and Neah glanced at each other in apprehension, before Mana spoke up, "Your hair; it's _white_ … And how on earth did you get that _scar_?"

Self-consciously tugging at his snowy locks, Allen briefly wondered where this world's Allen could possibly be, because it certainly wasn't _him_. Ultimately, he answered in an honest voice, "I'm not really sure what to say…"

Abruptly, Neah's scarily gold eyes narrowed into a glower. "Quit pissing around, Allen! You disappeared for over a week, and we go crazy searching for you, and when we finally find you—hurt and not even looking like yourself!—you can't tell us the damn truth?!"

Allen's apathetic reaction only seemed to enrage the once-Noah all the more, until Mana placed a calming hand on his shoulder. Neah deflated, and Mana turned to him with earnest eyes, saying, "Please, Allen? Won't you tell us what happened? Why you disappeared?"

"That's the thing…" Allen answered truthfully, "I don't really recall how I even got here… To be honest, I hardly remember either of you…" He winced slightly, taking in their brokenhearted expressions, but Allen knew pretending to be someone who he didn't even remember being, would only cause him more trouble later on. Allen also attempted to recall how it was that he'd arrived here in the first place… He'd been in some sort of battle, that was for sure, but it was all so muddled; the last thing he remembered was fleeing to the Ark—clearly desperate, as he'd left the Ark for the use of the Order, and it could've gotten him caught—and pleading with it to, _Take me away, take me away. Please, take me home!_ Allen almost cursed, knowing he could have ended up back at Headquarters with the use of those words, but it still brought up the question: how had he ended up here? In a place he'd never been to before?

Mana abruptly spoke up, gazing at him intently and asking, "What are the first words that come to mind, when you look at me?"

 _Father_ , Allen instantly thought, but rather said, "Circus clown."

Neah smothered a laugh, earning himself a glare from his older brother. " _One_ time!" Mana exhaled deeply. "See, you two? This is why I'm so insistent on attending school; we can't grow up to be circus clowns!" A small smile tugged at Allen's lips, remembering how _his_ Mana had always been so insistent on educating him.

"Aww, don't be such a stick in the mud," Neah snickered, before sobering and turning to Allen. "What about me?"

 _Traitor_. But, wondering how he would respond, Allen replied, "The 14th Noah."

Neah burst into more laughter. "Wow, I can't believe you _still_ remember those games!"

"Games?" Allen blinked.

Neah instantly quieted, and Mana asked with a frown, "Do you not recall our games? Where Neah would be the evil Noah—"

"—Mana would be the helpless human—" Neah interjected with a small grin.

"—and you would be the heroic Exorcist, pretending your arm was actually a weapon in disguise," Mana finished up, concern coloring his warm eyes.

For a small, scary moment, Allen wondered if the whole war had been a figment of his imagination, and if _this_ was his true reality, but reaching up to feel his rough, jagged scar, he _knew_ he could have never concocted all of the pain he'd endured.

"Do you remember how you got that?" Neah questioned him somberly, referring to where his fingertips had landed on his scar.

"Just a lot of pain," Allen mumbled, trying to push the horrifying, and slightly indistinct images away from his mind. Attempting to change the subject, Allen latched onto the thing that had piqued his interest so far. "So, school, huh?" The concept was a novelty for Allen, who had never in his life attended one. The idea seemed at least somewhat interesting, in any case.

A mischievous grin lit up on Neah's face. "It's alright, Allen! No need to worry about _that_! We won't be leaving your side until you're feeling _much_ better!"

"Very subtle, Neah," Mana shook his head with exasperation. "And you're already behind enough as it is, so _I'll_ be staying with Allen, and _you'll_ be going to school in order to catch up at the very least."

A protest was ready at Neah's lips, but Allen frantically waved his hands, ignoring the twinge of pain from his abrupt actions. "No, no it's alright. I'm sure I'll be fine by morning, and it'd probably be best if I caught up as well…" As to what he was catching up on, he had no idea, but ultimately, he was curious. It had been… such a long time since he'd been anywhere _safe_ , and though Allen was still perplexed with the bizarre situation at hand, all he could keep doing was stare at Mana in wonder. He wasn't _his_ Mana, but a version of Mana nonetheless, and for him this would be worth it.

"I'm not sure this would be such a great idea…" Mana frowned.

"Yeah, Allen," Neah added, "You were only missing for a week, so we've been able to excuse your absences thus far, but well… You'll probably end up being bombarded with questions as to what the hell happened to you with the way you look now. Having to handle that on top of your injuries? It's definitely going to be a pain—ah, no pun intended." He smiled sheepishly.

"I've managed worse," Allen reassured with sad eyes, though it only seemed to make Neah feel worst.

"Aw hell…" Neah cursed under his breath, allowing his head to fall limp in his hands with a defeated sigh, as he tried to imagine what Allen could have possibly endured in order to be able to say those words, before shaking his head in aggravation.

Looking between the two with a distressed expression, Mana clenched his fists before taking a deep breath and doing what he did best: making a joke to lighten the situation. Nudging Neah in the ribs with a forced smile, Mana said lightly despite the impenetrable tension, "C'mon Neah, are you saying you're too much of a wimp that you can't keep the hordes off of Allen? I guess I must've underestimated you little brother; I should've escaped with Allen when I had the chance!"

With a playful growl, Neah shoved him aside. "Shut it, you tosser," he said with a grin. "I'm totally up to the challenge! I'll keep you safe Allen!"

Allen took on an innocent expression and asked sincerely, "Why can't Mana keep me safe?"

" _Hey_!"

Mana smiled smugly at his younger brother, before it turned sincere once he directed it towards Allen. "Sorry, you know I'm in the year ahead, so Neah would be more convenient."

The white-haired boy sighed dramatically. "I _guess_ if he's my only choice…"

This only instigated more bickering, and Allen had to smile fondly as he watched the dynamic duo. He hadn't been lying when he'd made his preference for Mana clear—even if he _had_ said it jokingly—but maybe this Neah wouldn't be so bad. Despite that the Neah he knew of was a traitorous Noah, Allen had to admit that even the Noah were once human too. He'd just have to make the best of this situation.

"Hey Allen, are you hungry?" Mana suddenly pulled him out of his thoughts while simultaneously pushing back a flailing Neah.

Oh yes, he could _definitely_ get used to this.

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 **Time Frame — Morning of November 2nd, 1863**

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It wasn't until the early hours of the morning, when Allen awoke from habit, that he was able to get a good look at "his" room, which Mana had led him to the previous night. Slipping out of the large, fluffy bed with naught but a wince, the sixteen-year-old gazed curiously about the room; with Mana and Neah having inherited the great, old residence from their deceased mother, it was only the three teens living on what he was told were the outskirts of a large and prosperous town. Allen's room was plenty spacious, the area at the center taken up by his canopied bed, which faced his doorway. To the right, from where Allen stood beside the bed, feeling like an intruder, a series of wall-sized windows stood, facing the side of the house, though the view was currently blocked by burgundy colored drapes; before that, a desk stood in place, with a small, unused vanity off to the side, along with a wardrobe. Most of the left side of the room was taken up by a baby grand piano—and no, it was not the same one from the ark; the keys were rightly colored and it was made of what Allen guessed to be mahogany. It also appeared to be gathering dust.

Other than that, there was not much else in the room to reveal what the other Allen could have possibly been like, though there _was_ some clothing carelessly strewn about, much to his annoyance. The only thing remotely personal was the picture frame standing alone on the bedside table; gingerly picking it up, Allen stared at it somewhat fascinated. Squished between Mana and Neah, the other Allen stood, a seemingly carefree teen with long, auburn locks and an impish grin. A sizzling stroke of jealousy hit Allen in that moment, boiling at his core and consuming his thoughts with bitterness and resentment; fervently wishing that it could be _him_ in that picture. That it could have been _him_ that lived this life; that he didn't _have_ to be an imposter…

 _But what if you're not?_ said the small voice in the back of his head, and Allen shook his head furiously, because the thought of dreaming up a whole war, a whole life filled with pain, was ludicrous. Roaming eyes landing back on the vanity, a morbid idea entered his head. _I wonder…_ Making his way over, Allen wiped away the gathering dust with a small grimace, and stared expectantly. _I knew it_ , Allen thought with defeated sigh, before frowning slightly. The normally grinning shadow that stood at his back no longer held that crazed smile. In fact, it appeared more unstable than usual, the swirling shadows losing focus at its edges in order to create a much more blurred and even more indistinguishable figure; it appeared all the more monstrous.

"What in the world…?" But rather than further contemplating it, Allen stepped away from it, figuring that if the Noah was having trouble stabilizing himself, all the better for him. Glancing back at the rest of the untidy room, Allen set to cleaning the place that he would now be frequenting as a distraction from his tumultuous thoughts.

It wasn't for another hour that Neah abruptly barged into the room, calling, "Hey, Allen! Time to—whoa! What happened in here?"

"Ah," Allen smiled sheepishly from where he was organizing the stack of papers on his desk. "Just a little spring cleaning."

"It's still winter…" Neah pointed out dryly. "And what do you mean, "cleaning"?! Mana will kill us both if he finds out you were straining yourself!"

Allen simply blinked in surprise, and then a small smile tugged at his lips. After leaving the Order, and being on his own, it had been a while since someone had shown that kind of concern for him. "No need to fret, Neah. I'm perfectly okay, if not a little sore. Most of the cuts I got were shallow at best, and it's mostly the bruising that's causing me any sort of pain."

"Still…" Neah shook his head, spiky hair flopping, before finally relenting. "Alright, can you get dressed on your own?"

"I'll manage," Allen nodded with a smile, until Neah stepped out of the room. Quietly padding across the plush carpet, Allen opened up the mahogany wardrobe, donning on what appeared to be a school uniform—if the crest on the navy blue jacket was anything to go by. The attire was not too far from what he usually wore, as it consisted of a white dress shirt, a vest, and navy slacks. The only new additions were the coat, and unfortunately, a standardized tie.

"Allen! Hurry! We're running late!" It was hard to distinguish the jumble of voices, but rather than trying to figure out who said what, Allen simply snatched the satchel hanging off of the desk chair and ran out after the pair, grateful that he really had been honest when he'd said that he was fine, because it was surprisingly hard to keep up while simultaneously trying to dodge townspeople.

 _Well, this is certainly an interesting start to my day_ , was the only thing Allen could think as he was abruptly forced to jump over a baby stroller. "Sorry, ma'am! Ahhh, wait up!"

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"Neah Walker?" called the strict, female voice.

"Here!" Neah gasped, barging into the room, Allen following not too far behind, both leaning over and huffing. "D-ditto!" Allen added, leaning against the other boy.

"Yet another tardy for you, Mr. Neah Walker," the teacher tsked unsympathetically. "And I see Mr. Allen Walker has finally decided to grace us with his presen—" The teacher abruptly cut herself off, when she carelessly glanced up and finally took note of Allen's appearance. If their entrance hadn't caught the rest of the class' attention by now—which it really didn't, as they had become accustomed to it—this certainly did. Glancing over to said boy, they stared unabashedly, hardly recognizing their once popular classmate. The teacher's expression contorted into a sneer. "Tattoos and hair dye, Mr. Walker? My, my, what a disappointment, though I can hardly say I'm surprised by your unruly actions. Taking after your father, I see."

Up until this point, Neah had been burning a hole into her with his glower, but at her last statement, he suddenly barked out a laugh.

"And what, pray tell, has amused you so much?" she asked coldly, turning her ice-like eyes onto Neah with unconcealed distaste.

"Look, lady, just because they both have naturally red hair, doesn't mean _Cross_ is his father," Neah laughed, heading over to one of the pair of empty seats in the back, with Allen quickly following his lead as he intensely listened to his words. "And frankly, you really need to get over that resentment of yours; I honestly doubt Cross ever truly liked you, even _when_ you two dated."

Snickers erupted throughout the room, as her face flushed an angry red. But rather than punishing Neah like Allen had expected, she simply turned without a word and began preparing for the lesson, silently fuming with embarrassment.

"Liking that rebellious look of yours, Walker!" someone mock-whispered, and the class erupted into more titters. Allen sighed; this was going to be a long day, and the mention of Cross being here had certainly _not_ uplifted his mood.

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It wasn't until their lunch break, that Allen got to see Mana again. The novelty did not last…

"Hey, Walker! Mind telling us what's with the new look?" someone called from across the courtyard. Glancing up, Allen saw a gaggle of teens heading their way from across the small courtyard, which currently housed all of the student population; though that wasn't saying much. The school they attended turned out to be a two story, brick building the size of maybe two or three houses, and slightly resembled a church with the bell tower that stood proudly at the top. Each year shared all their classes, as there was only 20-30 students per grade, and Allen had come to learn that only those with money could make it in.

As he curiously observed the group headed their way—consisting mostly of his classmates—Allen startled, taking notice of a smaller member, who appeared to be a grade level or two younger, also skipping alongside them. Swiftly patting Mana on the shoulder, Allen discreetly pointed towards her before they grew too near and asked hurriedly, "Is that _Road_?"

Mana turned towards him, from where they were lounging on a bench, Neah sitting at their feet and shamelessly leaning against their now-numb legs, with an anxious frown. "You're still having trouble with your memories, Allen?" Noticing the white-haired boy's guilty expression, he sighed tiredly and said with a forced smile, "Yes, that's Road; she's Neah's on-again, off-again girlfriend." At this, he nudged Neah teasingly with his leg. "Hey Neah, how's it going with Road?"

"Shut it!" Neah groused, moodily biting into his sandwich.

Mana turned back to Allen, his smile now more genuine. "They're currently off."

Allen chuckled, but immediately quieted his response, noticing that their classmates had reached them and were nonchalantly sitting around them, taking out their own lunches and conversing with their friends. Allen watched them with an odd expression, wondering why they had migrated over to their small spot in the corner; maybe the other Allen had been good friends with these people? The thought of so many friends was slightly unsettling—he hardly even knew their names!—but nonetheless, a warm, fuzzy feeling bloomed in his chest, and so Allen ate with a cheerful grin, occasionally bantering with Mana and Neah.

It was about halfway through their forty minute break that someone—probably the same guy from earlier—insisted on hearing the cause of Allen's rebellious streak. Before he knew it, they had all quieted and stared up at him expectantly, seeming eager for the story. Allen momentarily fidgeted, unsure as to how to reply, but noticing Neah about to speak up in his defense out of the corner, Allen swiftly cut him, knowing they'd only grow all the more curious if they deflected their questions. Taking on a relaxed smile, Allen leaned back and began, "I'm not as defiant as you guys seem to think, really. The tattoo's only temporary,"—yeah right—"And it was more of a dare from Neah. Now the hair, that's where the story really gets interesting…" At this, they eagerly leaned in. He could handle this. If there was one thing Allen Walker was good at, it was pretending.

With this, Allen began to spin a tale on how Neah's antics had led to his hair being dyed a brilliant white—both Walker brothers had seemed surprised at first, but they eventually caught on, adding in extra bits and pieces to the story with their own mischievous grins—finishing off with a, "And in conclusion, it was really all of Neah's fault!"

" _Hey_! It was _not_!" Neah protested, playfully indignant, while their classmates erupted into laughs, throwing out their own jabs towards Neah. Allen could only smile in satisfaction, glad to see that he'd thrown his classmates off the curve.

"Of course, why am I not surprised?" Allen was easily able to detect Road's dry voice out from the rest, and so glanced at her, taking in her half-annoyed, half-entertained expression with no small amusement, which only increased Neah's grumblings.

It was the tolling of the bell that finally scattered them—though not technically, since they were all headed to the same class; some were just slower going about it than others.

"What's next?" he asked Neah, once he'd said his goodbyes to Mana.

Neah's face momentarily darkened, taking on the expression that always arose every time the mention of his "lost memories" cropped up. His smile seemed strained, but nonetheless he answered, "Music class."

Allen balked. Music class?! He didn't even how to play instruments—unless the Musicians abilities managed to come naturally to him, but he wasn't sure how that would work out with his unstable form. Plus, Allen had only ever attempted to play piano while controlling the Ark; he wasn't sure the innate ability would transfer to over to other instruments. But hey, maybe it wouldn't be a hands-on lesson. Allen could only cross his fingers.

* * *

The violin.

He played the bloody _violin_.

Allen awkwardly held the instrument, unsure as to what to do with it, before clumsily attempting to imitate the other three classmates that also shared the same type of instrument, still feeling apprehensive as he held the bow dangerously close to the strings. Should he even try and make an effort?

"You alright there, Allen?" Said boy jumped slightly, having not noticed Neah making his way over from the other side of the room, where a grand piano stood, in which another boy sat; presumably the person Neah had to share the piano with.

"Err, y-yeah," Allen smiled nervously, eyes going wide as one of the violin players drew her bow across the strings, the soul-wrenching music causing goose bumps to raise along his arms. How on earth was he going to be able to keep up with _that_?!

"Your injuries aren't causing you too much trouble, are they?" Neah pressed, face creasing into a frown. It seemed that was all Allen had been witnessing lately, Mana's and Neah's carefree expression being too few and far in between.

Allen offered him a reassuring grin, despite his own uneasiness. "I'm perfectly okay, just a bit worried. I'm completely out of practice." _Or more like I've never practiced once in my life_.

"Ah," Neah nodded, appearance alleviating. "I'm sure you'll be fine, Allen!" And before Allen even had a chance to ask what the heck they were supposed to be playing in the first place, the golden-eyed boy had already sauntered off, back to his beloved piano. Allen deflated, but knowing he could put it off no longer, he straightened up and placed the bow back along the strings, and in the same way he did when playing the piano, he attempted to let instinct take over, slowly dragging the bow up and down. Shockingly, the instrument did not emit screeches like Allen had been expecting, but rather, his hands began to naturally fall into playing the Musician's song. Satisfied after he'd played the first couple of notes, Allen released his tension and brought the violin down, only to find most of the room gaping at him. _What did I do this time?!_ Allen couldn't help but think.

"That was, ah, very impressive, Mr. Walker," the teacher finally spoke up from underneath his white, bushy mustache, adjusting his glasses while directing him with a penetrating gaze.

"Um, thank you, sir…" Allen fidgeted, feeling unsure as to why everyone was openly staring at him with such odd expressions.

"Though I am slightly perplexed," he began, and Allen knew this couldn't be good, "As to _why_ you've been holding back on us, young man."

Allen blinked, still uncomprehending. "Holding back, sir?"

" _Please_ , Walker," a girl near him, the same one that had been playing her own violin earlier, scoffed with a slight glower darkening her features. "We've _all_ heard you play multitudes of times. It was only a week ago that you were torturing that poor instrument! And now you just barge in here with those remarkable skills, acting as if it's nothing?! You've been holding us back _all_ year, you bloody prat!" The brunette's glare intensified, breathing heavily after her little tirade, cheeks flushed with anger.

Allen wanted to face-palm; of _course_ , the one time he attempted to get something right, it completely backfired on him!

"Now, now, Lydia, there's no need to berate the poor boy. I'm sure he was simply… shy," the teacher finally offered the feeble excuse for him, surprising Allen slightly.

"Right, shy," Allen muttered.

"Anyway, class…" the male teacher began, thankfully pulling the attention away from Allen, who could only hope that the day would soon be over.

* * *

" _Finally_ ," Allen exhaled loudly, trudging over to the front gates of the school beside Neah. Going to school felt like the longest experience he'd ever had, and he felt slightly pathetic for being so lost half the time. Despite not having the slightest clue as to what was going on in each of his classes—which consisted of Literature, Government, Music, and Arithmetic; lasting an hour and a half each—Allen was essentially, somewhat fascinated; he'd thought he had known everything he _needed_ to know, but there was just so much _more_! Allen had never understood why all those books had appealed so much to Lavi, but now, he was beginning to think he had an idea…

"Allen! Neah!" Mana, who'd already arrived to the entrance before them, called out, and Allen's weary mood immediately lifted at the sight of Mana's cheerful grin.

"Mana!" Allen returned the grin, hurrying over to him with the eagerness of an obedient dog.

"Allen, how are you feeling?" the bronze-eyed boy's smile softened, thinking back to Allen wounds with sad eyes.

"Ah, perfectly alright," Allen smiled sheepishly, knowing he'd strained himself somewhat with all the antics they'd pulled throughout the day, but he couldn't be happier. They began their journey back home, each teen lost in their own thoughts, until Allen abruptly took notice of something very wrong. He'd been so distracted with the going-ons that he'd completely forgotten!

"Hey!" Allen abruptly called their attention, coming to a sudden stop. "Have either of you seen Timcanpy? I just realized that he's been missing ever since I got here!" Allen rapidly scanned his surroundings, hoping to spot the flighty golem, part of him wondering if the duo would even know of the golem. The most likely answer was no, but it was worth a shot.

"Oh, Tim?" Mana asked with a knowing smile. "Don't worry too much about it, Allen. I've actually been keeping him outside; you know how he gets when he's excited. I didn't want him hurting you by accident."

"Hurting me?" Allen narrowed his silver eyes in puzzlement.

"Yeah," Neah nodded. "I actually released him this morning, before I realized we were running late. He'll probably meet us sometime on the way, like he usually does."

"Wait, what on earth are you two talking about?" Allen insisted, eyes flitting between the pair with confusion. Why would Tim hurt him—sure, he bit him on occasion, but not when he was injured; at least, not usually.

Mana parted his lips, about to answer, but a resounding bark cut him off.

"Here he comes!" Neah warned him with a laugh.

And before Allen knew it, he was painfully being tackled down by an overgrown, golden, Labrador puppy enthusiastically licking every inch of him.

"T-Timcanpy?!"

* * *

 **A/N:** Originally, I came up with a really long, complicated plot for this, but then, realizing it would take time and effort to write, I downsized it to a really simple and easy-to-write story. I already came up with an ending for this, and though I doubt anyone will be satisfied with it, I likely won't change my mind. So in summary, this fic shouldn't be too long, but knowing how scatter brained I am when it comes to writing, I don't guarantee that I'll finish up quickly. But summer is here for me, so maybe I can get more progress on all my stories!:D

Let's cross our fingers everyone!

Review?(:


	2. Confounding Reflections

**A/N:** Ah, sorry! This took longer than planned! It was mostly because I was being kind of lazy, but it seems that when I'm time bound, I can write! Haha, yeah I'm kind of in a rush right now, but this was worth finally getting out, so I definitely hope you guys like this next chapter. I'll try to come back later so that I can actually edit. Hehe… ^^' Anyway, thank you to everyone who's been following and favoriting! And thank you so much to **ayy lmao** , **The Moyashi Beansprout Midget** , **Kusabiishi** , **AngelHeartsX** , **ARandomAuthor14** , and **poisonapplecat** for all taking the time to review!

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 **Disclaimer** **:** Darn it! I don't have enough time to come up with a witty disclaimer! So no, I don't own anything!

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Chapter 2

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 **Time Frame —** **Afternoon of November 3rd, 1863**

* * *

— **3rd Person POV—**

 **~Allen~**

After a second day of school, Allen thought he was beginning to get the hang of it. Once noticing how hard the teachers were on their students, he'd done some cramming the previous night and so he'd been at least somewhat ready this day and hadn't embarrassed himself; well, at least not _too_ badly.

"Allen, where're you off to?" Neah shouted from down the corridor, in order to be heard above the throng of students.

Pausing, the white-haired boy turned, waiting for Neah to catch up with him, before replying hesitantly, "Err, aren't we supposed to be meeting Mana by the gate?"

"No, it's Thursday…" Neah stared at him oddly, before belatedly realizing, "Ah! Right… Sorry, Allen, you just seemed so in tune with the rest of us today, I'd forgotten you were still having trouble with your memories. I mean, did you _see_ the way Ms. Arling's face turned all puffy and red when you started _correcting_ her in class this morning?" Neah erupted into raucous laughter as he recalled the memory with glee.

Allen flushed. "Yes… I wouldn't have done so if I'd known she'd get so _upset_." Ms. Arling was their Literature teacher, the same one that seemed to hold a grudge against him for the simple fact that she believed Cross to be his father (Allen had yet to find the story behind _that_ ). She also held certain distaste for Neah, who she claimed to be an "unruly troublemaker who always dithered about". Allen couldn't help but think that there must've of been yet another story behind this one, because from his observations, Neah was a proficient student, even if he was a bit of a loudmouth at times. But then again, so were most of the teens attending school.

"I'm positively glad you did!" Neah grinned, as he began to lead Allen down a different hallway. "Anyhow, I'm not sure how much of a good idea this is going to be, but you were undoubtedly obsessed with it before, so I guess we'll just have to start from scratch."

"Start what? Is this something we do every Thursday, then?" Allen question, his curiosity piqued.

Neah's grin widened. "Yes! Allen Walker," he began dramatically, "Are you prepared to learn—or relearn, as your case may be—the beautiful art of fencing?"

* * *

It was taking everything within Allen to _not_ go into full battle mode. And that was simply with Neah running drills with him, but all the students surrounding him, even if they _were_ on a spacious field out back, while wearing masks and wielding swords, was putting him on edge.

 _Cling_ , _cling_ , _shhhhhhhhhink_.

"Now, lunge!" Neah ordered, and Allen jumped forward with his left foot, extending out the sword currently gripped in his right hand in a stabbing motion, which Neah flawlessly deflected.

"Parry!" Neah called, hardly pausing as he went forwards and lunged towards him. The jumpy, white-haired boy managed it to block the tip of his sword just in time with his own, using the length closer to the hilt.

"Riposte!" Allen quickly lunged back at him, and Neah managed to deflect it once again.

"Riposte!" Neah lunged back, and Allen swiftly stepped back before blocking it. Rather than continue, Neah paused and said, "Allen, don't forget, you can't cross your feet when you move backwards or forwards. Oh, and hold the sword a little higher up on the hilt; you'll get more control that way."

"Ah, right. Sorry, Neah," Allen replied, his thoughts feeling muddled with all the rules Neah had drilled into him earlier; he could hardly keep them straight, let alone try and recall them while constantly reminding himself that he wasn't in any danger while clashing swords with Neah.

Neah maintained his still position, but Allen was unable to observe his expression while they were both wearing the wired masks. At last, he asked, "You're injuries aren't still bothering you, are they?"

Allen attempted to smile with reassurance, before recalling that the other teen would be incapable of seeing it. "No, I'm alright for the most part. Like I've said, most of the cuts were shallow, so they've scabbed over by now, only stinging a little, and I can handle a bit of bruising."

"Didn't look like a "bit" of bruising to me," Neah grumbled, and then said, "But we've already been at this for an hour, and Mana will kill me if I force you to do this any longer. Come on, let's go get changed. He'll be waiting for us at the gate soon."

"Mana's here too?" Allen questioned, expertly dodging swords occasionally flying their way, more at ease now that he wasn't forced to do any of the attacking himself.

"Yes," Neah confirmed, once they'd headed back inside, walking in the direction of the changing rooms while removing his mask. Allen followed his lead. "But he's taking Archery. Doesn't think very highly of us walloping swords around," Neah continued with an amused smile, and Allen figured there must've been some sort of inside joke.

Rubbing the sweat from his forehead, Allen winced at the loud growl that suddenly emitted from the depths of his stomach. "I'm famished!"

Neah laughed and simply dragged him along in response. "Come on, then! I am too!"

* * *

" _Wow_!" Allen exclaimed with something akin to awe, silver eyes practically sparkling with delight.

"Err, something the matter, Allen?" Mana threw over his shoulder, bronze eyes firmly focused on the stove before him.

"Mana, it smells… It smells absolutely glorious!" Allen inhaled as deeply as his lungs allowed, savoring the taste of spices and seasonings that he could practically taste with his tongue, before slumping down on the kitchen table, happily basking in the aroma with a dazed expression.

Lips spreading into a prideful grin, Mana said with a chuckle, "Thanks. _Someone_ around here had to learn how to cook, especially with the amount of food you and Neah devour in a single sitting."

Allen was too dazed with the remarkable scents to even bother being embarrassed. "Mana, _please_! You have to give me some of that. I'll forever worship the ground you walk on!"

"Hmm, I don't know, I'm pretty sure you already do that," the older teen teased him.

" _Mana_!"

"Alright, alright! It'll be done soon; you can't rush perfection," Mana threw him a grin before quickly turning back.

"Hmm," Allen hummed, still in a daze.

"How was fencing?" Mana abruptly asked, "I forgot to ask you on our way home, but you didn't strain yourself too much, did you?"

"Oh," Allen blinked owlishly, before a fond smile spread across his lips. "Don't worry Mana, it was alright. Neah made sure to pull me out early, so it really wasn't much of a strain. Honestly though… Who came up with all those stupid rules?! You'd think sword fighting would be a little more straightforward," Allen groused, recalling all the times Neah claimed victory simply because he wasn't allowed to do such-and-such move.

Mana released a good-natured chuckle. "I'm certainly glad to see you haven't changed much, Allen. I'm guessing Neah kicked your butt again?"

" _Hey_!" Allen shouted indignantly.

"What? You've always been pants at fencing. Though that _still_ didn't seem to stop you from claiming you were still the best," Mana shook his head.

"Did I?" Allen blinked, but that seemed to destroy the cheerful mood, reminding Mana of how he was struggling with his nonexistent memories.

Eventually Mana broke the somber mood. "I'm just about done. Why don't you go up and drag Neah down, before he gets lost in that disaster he calls a room?" he joked, though his smile seemed slightly strained.

Allen smiled weakly back, but eager to eat the amazing-smelling food, he jumped up and dashed upstairs, peeking into different rooms, as he hadn't bothered asking where it was that Neah's room was located, in order to avoid further awkwardness. After stumbling into a couple of sitting rooms and spare bedrooms, the white-haired teen ultimately ended up in one of the largest rooms in the house yet; doubtlessly twice the size of his own spacious bedroom, the only thing that even marked the room as a bedroom were the bed and nightstand carelessly shoved in the corner, as if sleep were the last thing on the occupant's mind.

A large chunk of the room was taken up by a sleek, grand piano (and how on earth they'd even managed to get it upstairs and through the door, Allen would never know); another section in an corner across preserved specifically for the stand, in which a beautiful, polished cello stood with a chair right beside it and the bow leaning against it. Smaller, but equally cared for, instruments were displayed along the dark, cobalt colored walls, half of which Allen didn't even know the names of. A nostalgic smile tugged at his lips, taking note of the ankle-deep pool of papers littering the room, reminding him of Komui's office; though rather than it being paperwork, it was hundreds of music scores.

"Argh! This is going nowhere!" Neah suddenly griped, pulling at his mahogany spikes in unconcealed aggravation from where he sat on the piano stool, before abruptly taking and slamming down a crumpled music score onto the keys, the cacophony of discordant pitches making Allen wince.

"… Anything I can help with?" Allen asked hesitantly.

"Allen!" Neah unexpectedly jumped up, scrambling over the sea of music scores, and roughly taking a hold of him by the shoulders. "You were a bloody genius today! Please tell me you've _still_ got it in you!"

"P-Pardon?!" Allen could only gape, moonlit eyes wide with bewilderment as Neah promptly dragged him and forcefully pushed him down on one side of the piano bench, taking the other side for himself.

"Today!" Neah exclaimed with eager, molten eyes. "During music class, when everyone was narked because you suddenly became an expert violin player overnight! I'm begging you, if that talent is still at your fingertips, show some mercy and help your brother out!"

Allen continued to wonder exactly what the absurd boy wanted of him, before finally saying, "I'm not really sure how to help you out, Neah…"

"Let me show you first!" Neah said, twisting around to face the keys, delicately arranging his gloved fingers upon them and then pressing them, his nimble fingers flying along with ease, the different notes merging beneath to create the beginnings of the Musician's sweet melody. The resonating keys deliberately became more complicated, before coming to an abrupt stop. "Do you _see_ what I mean?" Neah prompted Allen, molten eyes wide with frustration.

Allen quirked an eyebrow and shrugged. "Not _really_ … It sounds lovely thus far, and I don't see or hear a problem with it."

"Exactly!" Neah exclaimed, once again taking a hold of his shoulders. "It _sounds_ good, and then, nothing!"

"… I don't follow."

Neah sighed dramatically, as if his dilemma should have been apparent to Allen. Taking a deep breath, he clarified more calmly, "Nothing, as in, I don't know how to follow up on it!"

" _Oh_ … It surely can't be that difficult… Can it?" Allen muttered the last part to himself, having never had an interest in writing music. But if it really _was_ as complicated as Neah made it out to be, maybe it wouldn't hurt to lend him a hand. "Alright," Allen began, "Show me again what you've got so far, and we'll see what we can do."

"I knew I could count on you!" Neah grinned excitedly, before turning back to the keys and once again demonstrating how far he'd gotten.

Allen observed carefully, recalling the next set of notes that would follow after Neah came to a halt, pretending to contemplate it for a moment, before hesitantly placing his own fingers on the keys. "How about this?" Trying not to go too far, Allen slowly played out the next couple seconds.

"I…" Neah trailed off, seeming slightly surprised. "That's actually pretty good. Thanks Allen! Now… how about we switch up the left hand a bit on this part…" Neah began, shifting each of his fingers on his left hand over a half-key and back again. They continued on like so, almost reaching the mid-point of the song before a resounding knock on the door was heard.

"Hey, what's taking so long?" Mana asked, entering without bothering for a response.

Allen felt the world coming to a slow stop as a sudden realization hit him: "AH! I FORGOT ABOUT THE FOOD!" Allen cried, scrambling over the disastrous pile of music sheets, around Mana, and down to the kitchen.

Mana and Neah sweatdropped.

"Some things never change…"

* * *

 **Time Frame —** **Evening of November 3rd, 1863**

* * *

 **~Mana~**

" _Mana_! I'm _bored_!"

"Hm? Is that so?" Mana idly flipped through a book before abruptly snapping it shut and glancing up to pleading, honey-colored eyes. "Then go do your homework."

"Ah, no worries!" Neah shrugged with a smug grin, casually crossing his arms behind his head in a relaxed manner. "Allen's already taking care of that!"

They both glanced over to said boy, who was sitting on the plush carpet, between the couch and coffee table, textbooks and piles of papers scattered around as he worked furiously to finish bookwork from their Arithmetic class.

Mana pinched the bridge of his nose before heavily exhaling a breath in defeat. "You offered to buy him Mitarashi Dango again, didn't you?"

"You know it!" Neah nodded, giving him a thumbs up, still grinning; which was sharply wiped off when he received a terse thump to the head. "Ow!" Neah yelped, clutching his throbbing head.

"Alright, Allen, you can stop now," Mana called, pointedly ignoring his whimpering brother. "Get your coat; we're going out!"

"Huh? Really? Where to?" Allen asked, eagerly sweeping his own finished homework—which had been laid in a neat stack, off to the side—into his school bag.

"Neah has a promise to fulfill," Mana glared pointedly at his pouting brother, "And we should get going before all the shops close up."

"Sweet!"

"What about the rest of my homework?!" This was shortly followed by another, " _Ow_! Mana, would you _quit_ that?!"

* * *

"Gah!" Allen yelped, nearly tripping over the boundless energy that was Timcanpy, yet again. "I've really got to get used to that…"

Unlike Neah, Mana at least made an effort to hold back an amused laugh, simultaneously attempting to stomp down the concern blooming in his chest at the sight of Allen's clumsiness; hadn't it only been over a week ago, that this same boy had expertly jumped and dodged all of Tim's attempts of tripping him up, hardly needing to even watch the playful puppy in order to do so?

 _Is this even the same Allen?_ Mana made quick work of shoving _that_ thought out the window, because despite the stark difference in appearances and the lack of memories, Mana was hard-pressed to believe that this boy could be an imposter; not when he continued to show the same silly habits of eating ridiculously large amounts of food, getting his arse handed to him by Neah when they fenced, and easily being bribed with dango.

But at the same time, Mana could hardly ignore the discrepancies. _I mean, since when has Neah ever gone to Allen looking for help with_ music _of all things?!_ Mana couldn't help but wonder, watching the duo bicker good-naturedly as they walked down the cobblestone streets underneath the soft glow of the streetlights, easily drifting through the crowds, the rambunctious puppy making way for them. _But maybe, these differences aren't all bad_ , Mana further thought, his bronze eyes softening at the sight of Allen calming Timcanpy down, just so that a small girl could pet him. She giggled ecstatically, attracting a pair of boys towards the barking Labrador. Allen easily handled the crowding children, and Mana speculated as to what had happened to Allen in the single week that he was gone.

 _What could have possibly killed all that overconfidence you once held?_ Because Mana had certainly noticed how much quieter the white-haired boy was, how much more patient he was. He wasn't constantly calling attention to himself, or following Neah's example of causing trouble. The change had been startling, but Neah kept reassuring him that he was just getting back into the swing of things; that he'd be back to himself in no time. But Mana was hardly naïve. Allen didn't even _seem_ traumatized. It was as if his actions now were second nature to him. And the sad, resigned look in his moonlit eyes that Mana had noticed… _I don't understand… It's the same look Suman has, but_ he _fought in a war. Allen was only gone for a_ week _! What could—_

Mana winced at the sharp pain making itself known on his temple, his thoughts scattering.

"You're over thinking things again~," Neah called him out, promptly shoving a stick into his hand, on which three, sweet, sticky dango were skewered. Glancing around, Mana realized that they'd already reached the Japanese dessert stand that Allen often frequented.

"Thanks," Mana grumbled, rubbing at the spot where Neah had flicked him with an irritated grimace, eventually munching on his own treat.

"Isn't this great, Mana?" Allen exclaimed with an enthusiastic grin, a box of dango being held lovingly in his arms.

Allen's absurd appearance couldn't help but elicit a chuckle from Mana. "Sure, Allen," he indulged him, finishing the last of his own treat. Dumping the gooey stick into the rubbish bin, he suggested, "Let's get going back before it gets too late, otherwise Neah might get more idiotic ideas into his head."

"Hey! You're just jealous that you can't compete with the genius that I am!" Neah vehemently defended himself, albeit jokingly.

Mana paused, nodding seriously and tapping a finger to his lips in thought. "Yes, yes. I see your point. I mean, I can hardly compete with the guy bribing poor, gullible Allen here into doing their homework."

"Exactly!" Neah nodded, before spluttering, "Hey, wait a minute! I'll have you know that Allen isn't as innocent as he likes to make everyone think! It took me _way_ longer than it should have to convince him it was even worth the bribe!" At Mana's deadpan expression, Neah sighed in defeat, "I'm just digging my own grave, aren't I?"

Mana patted his head. "And this is why _I_ am the smarter, older, and better-looking brother."

"Arhhge," Allen was unable to make his words clear around the mouthful of sticky dango.

"Err, what was that Allen?" Neah asked, quirking an eyebrow, both brothers smiling in amusement.

With a large gulp, Allen finally replied, "I _said_ —hey, wait a minute. What is that?"

Swiveling round, Mana observed the store across the street Allen had gestured towards. "That's just Bookman's Shop. What about it?" Maybe Allen was beginning to recall something? After all, they _were_ often forced to frequent the shop, as that was where they always found any books required for school, especially considering Ms. Arling had a habit of choosing obscure novels for the class to read that only Bookman ever knew how to get a hold of.

"Hey!" Neah suddenly exclaimed, gaining both their attention, "I just remembered! I think Lavi's supposed to be visiting the old man this week! Let's go check and see if he's in yet!"

Mana stepped forward, ready to follow after Neah, before Allen's contorted expression caught his eye. He grabbed Neah's arm, bringing him to a halt, before asking, "What's the matter Allen?"

Neah then turned to look at the white-haired boy, who was doing a bad job of trying to keep his grimace at bay. "A-ah, nothing. I'm just tired, is all. Maybe the visit could wait till tomorrow?"

"Is this about your memories?" Mana frowned anxiously. "Do you not remember Lavi?"

Allen blinked, seeming startled at his sudden concern before he unexpectedly shook his head. "I do, actually." At their shocked expressions, he quickly backtracked, "I mean, I _kind_ of do. Tall and slightly crazy redhead, if I'm right."

Neah snorted, "Don't forget wicked smart. Still can't believe the little tosser graduated at twelve."

A sort of nostalgic smile tugged at Allen's lips. "Doesn't sound very surprising to me."

"Allen, how much of Lavi _do_ you remember?" Mana questioned. _How is it that he recalls a childhood friend with ease, but not_ us _?_

"Um," Allen mumbled, fidgeting, "My memories are still skewed, so I'm not really sure what's real and what's simply imagination."

"Hmm," Mana hummed, observant eyes taking notice of the darkening gloom setting in, the once crowded streets steadily emptying. "Well, either way, it'd probably be a good idea to get back. We can stop by Bookman's after school tomorrow."

"Ah, I can't actually," Neah smiled sheepishly, "I have to head down straight to the theatre after school. They expect all performers to be there and ready as soon as possible."

"Performance? Performance for what?" Allen piped up.

They both couldn't help but stare for a moment, before Neah suddenly explained, " _My_ performance! Everyone that is formally trying out to join the orchestra has to do a performance tomorrow night, and our music teacher recommended me!" Neah couldn't help by grin with pride.

"Yes, yes, now come on, let's get going!" Mana chuckled as he pushed them forward, having to practically drag them down the streets as Neah continued to babble excitedly to Allen all about joining an orchestra. Allen seemed all too eager to listen, Neah's enthusiasm being contagious, until Allen abruptly came to a stop.

"Allen?"

Rather than responding, the moonlit eyed boy suddenly walked off. The brothers could only stare in wonder, observing as he talked to haggard looking woman before dragging her over to them. "You guys," Allen began with a small grin, "Meet Miranda! I promised her we'd find her a job before all the shops closed down!"

Mana resisted the urge to groan, all too familiar with the batty lady. But… it was difficult to say no when Allen held that expression.

"God help us all."

* * *

 **A/N:** Yes! I'm finally done with this chapter! Anyway, hope you enjoyed, and I have absolutely no idea when I'll be updating next. But thank you for reading!(:

Please don't forget to review!(:


	3. Miscellaneous Outings

**A/N:** Ah, sorry I haven't worked on this for the past two and a half months, but I kind of ditched everything so that I could complete **Timely Mishaps**. Furthermore, I almost deleted this after reading Chapter 219, but rather, I calmed down after some healthy venting (via Allen in **Confessions of a Teenage Exorcist** ), and then allowed new plot bunnies to emerge. Because of this, I have discarded the plot twist I was going to end with, and decided on a new one. A small part of me argues that this new idea might not make complete sense, but hey, the manga itself doesn't make much sense, so I somehow feel justified!(:

Anyway, thank you to **Guest** , **AngelHeartsX** , **Ennael** , **Crystalicelily** , **Moyashi** , **Shad0wReaper133** , **Dark Magician Girl98** , **Lead Potato** (x2), **amenokuma** , **titania2811** , **CloudCarnivore** , **Guest 2** , and **ARandomAuthor14** for leaving such lovely reviews!(: Love you guys for it!^-^

Enjoy~!

* * *

 **Disclaimer** **:** I think it's safe to say that at this point, I will never own **D. Gray-Man** , because despite my love for it, Hoshino is finally gracing us with her updates. But I'm still keeping an eye on her… (And no, not by any illegal means!).

* * *

Chapter 3

* * *

 **Time Frame —** **Midnight of November 4th, 1863**

* * *

— **3rd Person POV—**

 **~Allen~**

 _Rain pattered quietly, peppering the small lake with rippling rings throughout the clear surface, the dreary, oppressive clouds that blanketed the sky reflected upon it. Allen kicked at the lapping waves mulishly, features pulled and contorted into an irritated grimace, fists clenched, until he abruptly leaned down, scooping up a jagged rock and flinging it across the swelling waters with all his might. The terse splash of water seem to awaken the skies further, as sheets of rain suddenly showered down, dampening and drowning the surrounding forest as thunder began to roll and crash._

 _"Of course," Allen scoffed, clothes beginning to weigh down heavily as the cotton soaked in the water; long, auburn locks matted against his head, and the freezing water practically seeped into his bones, the chilled winds nipping at him._

 _"You're going to get yourself killed in this weather. And it won't bring her back," a voice—Mana—called out, just audible over the pounding rain._

 _Crossing his arm and ducking his head, Allen hissed, "You don't think I know that?! Sod off. I don't_ need _you."_

 _"Allen…" A pause, and then, "Mom, she wouldn't want you to—"_

 _"SHUT UP!" Allen roared, swiveling around, breath coming out in halting gasps, mercury eyes narrowed to slits. "S-shut up… We both know it's my fault… that Katerina's… that she's… dead."_

"Allen!"

The voice seemed to cut through everything, as his eyes snapped open to different a reality. A pair hands shook him further, and in the dim lighting, Allen was able to make out Neah's impish grin. "Allen," he mock whispered, "Come on and quit dithering! We have to get going!"

"N-Neah?" Allen blinked heavily, trying to momentarily escape the drowsiness that made his every action heavy and lethargic. Around a yawn, he managed, to ask, "What's going on? It's the middle of the night."

"Which makes it the perfect time!" Neah declared. Hauling him out of bed and digging around his wardrobe, he pulled out a fresh set of clothes and tossed them towards him. Allen's fumbling hands just managed to catch them, his perplexed and troubled expression not changing in the least. Neah momentarily faltered, and he hesitantly asked, "You okay there, Allen? You look a little spooked…"

"Um, yeah," Allen mumbled, rubbing his eyes jadedly, a frown pulling at his lips. "Just a strange dream was all. It felt so real…" He could still feel with clarity, the way the rain had hammered against him, almost painfully; but it had been nothing compared to the well of emotions weighing on him, simply wishing that he could drown beneath the torrent of waters, if only to escape the guilt and rage. So real; almost like it had been—

"A memory!" Neah abruptly exclaimed, jumping up with excitement and honey colored eyes lighting up. "Do you think that was it? What were you dreaming about?"

On the receiving end of Neah's exuberance, Allen fumbled with his words, before trying to explain, "Ah, Mana and I; a lake—"

"That's right!" Neah nodded to himself as if that explained everything. "We all used to go there as children!"

Allen blinked owlishly. "… We did?"

"Yes," Neah grinned, "But I'm glad you're finally regaining your memories. It's a bit slow-going, but I'm sure they'll be back in no time!" Slinging an arm around Allen's shoulder, he began to lead him towards the doorway. "But for _now_ , new memories with yours truly, shall have to do!"

"Neah, it's the middle of the night!" But when the dark haired boy only continued to drag him, Allen released an insufferable sigh and demanded, "At least let me get changed!"

"I knew you'd see it my way, Allen!"

* * *

"Blast it, Neah! What on earth are we doing?!" Allen demand in a loud whisper, as they continued to duck between alleyways and dark street corners. They had been doing this for about half-an-hour, and Allen—who was still exhausted and hadn't really wanted to tag along in the first place—was getting sick of it.

" _Shhh_! We're almost there," Neah answered without looking back, as he jumped over a low fence in the middle an alley, and made his way to the other side, where it opened up to a new street. Allen grudgingly followed. Pointing at the shoddy establishment that faced them, and sporting a wicked grin, Neah said in a hushed voice, "And _that_ , is where our target it located."

"Target?!" Allen huffed, the rising need to smack some sense into Neah almost overtaking his curiosity. "Neah, until you tell what exactly is going on, I am _not_ moving from this spot," Allen decided, moonlit eyes burning with resolve, arms crossed in a clear show of stubbornness.

Said sixteen-year-old pursed his lips, eyes narrowed. "You're taking all the fun out of it!" he suddenly whined.

Allen refrained from face-palming. "What? By not allowing you to keep me in the dark?"

Neah snickered, and then offered a sheepish smile. "Hehe, sorry, Allen. Don't get me wrong, I'm relieved you're regaining your memories, but now that we don't have anything to worry about that, I might as well milk it for what it's worth!" Neah casually crossed his arms behind his head, grinning widely, a mischievous glint in his soft, golden eyes.

But Allen was unable to appreciate the good humor. Because it made _no_ sense. How on earth could he be _gaining_ memories, that he was sure he'd never experienced? … It couldn't mean he would lose his old ones, could it? Blinking his eyes shut, Allen concentrated on his most precious memories, the ones he shared with his comrades. And blowing out a small, relieved sigh, he found them to be there. Maybe not as clear as before, but Allen was comforted, knowing that it was _real_. He _hadn't_ lived a false life filled with pain; it had _truly_ happened. And despite the joy of being reunited with Mana, _nothing_ could take those memories away.

"… Allen?"

Said boy flickered his eyes open, Neah's hand landing on his shoulder in concern startling him back to reality. "I…" Allen smiled softly. "I apologize… I was just… trying to recall some things."

Neah's face split into an encouraging grin. "Don't worry, Allen! I know you'll get there. Don't stress yourself out; I believe in you!"

Allen blinked, slightly stunned, before returning the grin.

"So… what's the plan?"

* * *

"I know he's a bloody prick, but come _on_! And after what he did to Miranda, too! All the poor woman wanted was to have a job!" Neah was practically whining at this point.

"He is a demon," Allen retorted.

Pursing his lips, Neah stayed silent for a moment, and then, "You're still doing it."

His eye twitched. "Or _what_?" Allen challenged.

The dark-haired boy pouted, and then with an abrupt grin, he said, "I'll buy you another box of dango! How about it?"

Allen grimaced. "Not worth it."

"Two boxes?" He shook his head. "Three?!" Another shake. "Damn it all, Allen! I'll buy you the whole bloody stand!"

Allen cocked his head in thought, and then nodded. "That is acceptable."

"I hate you."

* * *

Neah howled in laughter, and then called back, "You might want to leg it a bit faster, Allen! Even drunk, Cross is still a hell of an opponent!"

"Sod off!" Allen growled, but couldn't quite manage to keep the gleeful grin off his face as he swiftly sped up to match Neah's pace.

After Miranda had been tossed out due to her clumsiness earlier that night, Allen had finally given up and taken the poor woman home. But Neah's vengeful personality had gotten them into the mess of screwing with that particular bar. A bar owned by the infamous Cross. Goodness, how Allen hated that man. But he couldn't keep his wicked grin at bay, knowing that this time around, it was Allen who had cost him a good deal of profit.

"Damn, he's gaining on us!"

Glancing back, Allen could practically see the fury seeping off of Cross, a demonic aura flickering to life in a shiver-inducing display that urged Allen to pick up his pace. The prank had been harmless, really. Sneaking through the back, they had gathered all the boxes of liquor, beer, and rum that Cross held in stock, sneakily coming back around and freely sharing it with the already tipsy patrons who had been all too happy to take the alcohol off their hands. And by the time Cross had realized it, it was too late.

"When I get my hands you, assholes, I'm wringing your fucking necks!" Cross raged at them, and around them, Allen noticed windows lighting up and curious and irritated faces peaking through windows and curtains, watching as they caused a ruckus through town.

"If Cross doesn't get to us first, Mana's going to beat us into a bloody pulp!" Neah shouted towards him, suddenly nervous at the witnesses that watched them dash by, the devil himself at their tail.

"You're damned right I will!" an all too familiar voice shouted, and Neah and Allen simultaneous winced, skidding to a halt as Mana's towering form halted before them, the horse he sat on puffing out an exasperated breath, hoofs stomping nervously at Cross' nearing form. "But you better get the hell on if you want any chance of surviving _that_."

Scrambling over one another, Allen and Neah rapidly climbed atop the poor, overworked horse, before Mana kicked it into motion. Allen held on for dear life, squished between the pair of brothers, as the horse practically flew into action, launching forward as if to leap over obstacles, though it was only the clear, cobblestones streets ahead. It briskly propelled them forward, nonetheless.

But despite this, Cross was still on their tale, if only farther behind.

"He truly _is_ a demon," Allen sobbed to himself, suddenly terrified.

"Hang in there Allen!" Neah shouted, grin still in place. "Bro! How are we getting rid of him?!"

Slightly tilting his head around, Mana called back, "By taking him to the one place he's too daft to navigate on his own!"

And before Allen knew it, they were bounding through the forest, the horse forced to jump over fallen logs and skid to a halt before it could slam into any trees in the pitch dark. Fortunately, Mana knew his way around perfectly, and Cross' raging and cursing eventually faded into the dark, silent woods.

"W-we made it," Allen stammered in relief, slipping off and stumbling to the ground, slightly off-balance.

"Never had a doubt," Neah smirked, as both he and his elder brother jumped off the exhausted horse, giving it time to cool off as they headed back at a more sedate pace.

Swiftly turning to face them, Mana demanded, expression contorted into fury, "What the bloody hell were you thinking, Neah?!"

Neah's good mood quickly evaporated, a scowl forming. "Bugger off, Mana. I was just having a little fun. And I don't see you laying it in on _Allen_!"

Allen winced, unwilling to face Mana's disappointment, but knowing it was inevitable all the same.

Mana didn't even so much as turn to glance at him. " _Allen_ is currently suffering from memory loss! Not even _one_ week, Neah? It was a simple request! That's all it was, and you couldn't even do _that_ much?! I asked you to tone down all the trouble you cause, especially for Allen. But what's the first thing you do? Exactly _that_!"

At this point, they were shouting.

"Oh, would you just put a sock in it?! It's not like we were committing murder! Why don't you just loosen up?!"

"Oh, yeah, that's a perfect idea. I'll just sit back and watch as you destroy the bloody town!"

"This is exactly what I mean! Can't I do a fucking thing without you breathing down my neck?! Hell! Don't you even trust me a little bit?! At least enough to know that I'm not doing any serious harm?!"

"Well maybe if you hadn't disproved that so many times, that I've lost track; yeah, maybe I _would_ believe you!"

"That's bullshit!"

Eventually, they were shouting over each other, and Allen could hardly comprehend what they were trying to say.

"ENOUGH!" Allen was forced to yell, stepping forward and shoving them apart, with enough force to slam Neah into a nearby tree.

"Damn it," Neah cursed under his breath, cradling the wrist he'd landed on, but Allen didn't pay it much mind.

"What…" Allen began apprehensively, but then dove right in, " _What_ is going on? I know my memories of you two are skewed, but I have a hunch that this type of fighting wasn't exactly regular…"

Taking a deep breath and calming himself down, Mana firmly met his bronze eyes with Allen's silver, acknowledging with a small, regretful nod, "You're right. We… I _know_ your disappearance only lasted a week, and in retrospect, it might not seem like a very long time, but… it took its toll on us. Things were said, fights between us broke out, and I guess, we've been so focused on you, that we haven't thought to address it…"

"Clearly…" Allen noted dryly, and then sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, I didn't… I didn't _mean_ to cause a rift between the two of you. You're _brothers_."

"Aw hell, Allen," Neah suddenly stepped forward, the anger dimming from his eyes, "You don't have to say it like _that_. We're your brothers too."

"I—" Allen choked on his voice, a sudden well of emotions rising in his throat and forming a lump there. He swallowed heavily, but it persisted.

Using his good hand, Neah tugged Allen over into a side-hug. "And don't you forget it. But I'm sorry you had to see that."

Joining him on his other side, Mana gently threw an arm around him as well, offering him that kind smile that had once broken through his barriers as a child. "I apologize as well. You _are_ our brother, Allen. And a good one to boot. Thank you for knocking some needed sense into us."

"And I'm sorry I was being so difficult, Mana," Neah finally acknowledged with a guilty expression.

A small smile curved at his lips. "And I apologize for being so high-strung."

Allen offered them a weak, exhausted smile, and glancing up, noticed the sky lightening as dawn came upon them. "We should probably head back."

Neah suddenly grimaced, and admitted, "I think we might have a small problem." They glanced at him, and awkwardly holding up his wrist, he said, "My concert's tonight, and I think my wrist is sprained…"

"Shit."

* * *

 **Time Frame — Noon of November 4th, 1863**

* * *

Despite their wild night, and the even more stressful day that lay ahead of them, the trio of brothers crashed onto the living room couches as soon as they'd gotten back home, immediately passing out. It wasn't until around noon that Mana forced them to get up.

"Ugh," Allen grumbled, forcing himself to sit up on the couch, and having to push Neah onto the carpeted floor in the process.

"My wrist!" Neah whimpered, his words muffled as he pressed his face against the thick carpeting.

"Maybe that'll teach you to not go off gallivanting in the middle of the night!" Maan grumbled around a heavy yawn, and then ordered them, "Go take bath and get dressed. I'll make us a late breakfast and then we can figure out how to fix this whole mess."

"I thought it was pretty obvious," Neah retorted as he sat, cradling his wrist, and at their expectant glances, he elaborated with a huff, "Allen knows most of the song I'm performing, so he can just take my place. Shouldn't be too complicated."

"W-what?" Allen spluttered, "I look nothing like you, and you didn't tell me you were playing _that_ song!"

"It was supposed to be a surprise," the golden-eyed boy waved it off, "And I'm sure it'll be fine. It'll be pitch black, backstage, and as long as you face slightly away from the audience, they shouldn't notice a thing."

"Yeah, except for the stark, _white_ hair!" Allen exclaimed, tugging at his pallid locks for emphasis.

Intervening, Mana mentioned, "Relax, it's nothing to pull your hair over. I'll get you some temporary dye and that'll be that!"

Sighing in defeat, Allen replied, " _Fine_. But are you _sure_ no one will notice? This _is_ your future that's on the line you know…"

"Completely confident!" Neah nodded with a relieved grin. "Like I said, backstage will be pretty dark, plus, the Concertmaster will only be part of the audience, since the point of it is to scout for talent. It won't be till the next couple of days that he'll send out letters for those being admitted into the orchestra!"

Allen finally agreed with an exhausted nod, and jumping up, much more enthusiastic, Neah called back as he dashed out of the house, "Start getting ready! I'll run down to buy some temporary dye!"

"You heard him," Mana chuckled, backing out and heading for the kitchen. "Get cleaned up and then I'll show you where Neah keeps his nice suit!"

Allen flopped back onto the couch in a momentary fit of rebellion, before forcing himself to get back up once again. Maybe he could nick some of Mana's cooking before he chased him out…

* * *

 **Time Frame — Afternoon of November 4th, 1863**

* * *

"How do I look?" Allen finally asked the silent duo, self-consciously tugging the stuffy suit he'd been forced into—if anything, it at least kept his hands occupied from trying to scratch at the itchy powder masking his scar.

"You look like your old self…" Mana murmured, and then quickly shook it off, flashing him a smile. "You'll be sure to pass as Neah from a distance at the very least."

Blowing away a stray lock of hair that had flopped onto his face, Allen wondered, "Shouldn't I cut it similar to your style, Neah? It's kind of long."

"Nah," Neah shook his head, erasing his previous expression of solemnity. "You'll be fine, and we need to get going anyway, so we wouldn't have enough time. Now, are you sure you've got the song down?"

Despite having ignored Neah's urge to practice, Allen nodded and replied, "Like the back of my hand! I won't disappoint either of you!"

Landing a comforting hand on his shoulder, Mana beamed. "No doubt about it, Allen! Now let's get going! The carriage we'll be here to pick us up soon, so we should start heading downstairs."

Tossing Neah a dubious glance, Allen asked, "Are you sure you should be coming? What if someone sees you?"

"Don't you worry! I've got it covered!" Neah smirked roguishly, and Allen felt safer remaining none the wiser.

* * *

It should have gone without a hitch really. And it mostly did. Allen had performed the song, the crowd loved it and was cheering. And that should have been that.

Except for a small, unresolved problem.

A problem by the name of Cross.

Said problem had somehow escaped the clutches of the forest and stumbled into the city auditorium, and was now, making quite the spectacle as he raged on about the sure deaths of Neah and Allen at his hands. The audience could only gape in shock.

With a nervous swallow, Allen slunk off the stage, hoping beyond hope that he'd gone unnoticed by the enraged, redheaded demon.

* * *

 **A/N:** Hehe, lots of shenaniganing in this chapter, but totally worth it! :D And come on, you've got to admit it was fun! I threw in my fair share of plot right at the beginning, so you can't even complain! :p

Don't forget to review! :D

 **P.S.** I know some of you want to see Allen interacting with some of the other characters (i.e. Lavi and Miranda), but I intended for this story to focus on his interaction with Mana and Neah, so please don't get your hopes up. Either way, Allen interacting with such characters would be pretty similar to canon, so it's not like you're missing out on anything.


	4. Looking Glass

**A/N:** So I totally and completely lost inspiration for this story. Sorry about that. (I actually lost inspiration for all fanficition period, so I started writing my own original stuff that will probably go unread by others for years to come). But I figure since there's only one chapter left after this one, I might as well finish it. Can't just let a story this short go unfinished, am I right? Also, thank you to **poisonapplecat** , **Twistedmind64** , **I love pink** , **Masi-chan** , **titania2811** , **Takei Daloui** , **theweirdo** , **amenokuma** , and **Deugemia** for taking the time to review! Really appreciate it, and sorry I didn't really reply to anyone. My FanFiction account has been kind of dead, due to the lack of creativity that I've had for writing lately. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter!

* * *

 **Disclaimer** **:** Meh, I'm not that great of a drawer, so no, I couldn't possibly own this manga (or any).

* * *

Chapter 4

* * *

 **Time Frame —** **Morning of November 5th, 1863**

* * *

— **3rd Person POV—**

 **~Allen~**

"Oh hell…" Allen muttered to himself, staring at his reflection wide-eyed. "I thought I washed all this gunk out!" And by 'gunk', he meant hair dye. The dark, reddish mahogany color that he'd dyed it the previous night, in order to pass off as Neah, was _still_ there! It was more red than brown at this point, but he couldn't understand _why_ ; he was sure he'd gone to bed with his hair washed back to a pristine white. Had he been so exhausted that he hadn't even noticed…? Allen heaved a sigh; he honestly didn't even know how to feel about it at this point. At least he wouldn't stick out like a sore thumb any longer…

Allen briefly took note of the Fourteenth's shadow; it was even less pronounced than when he'd checked on it the other day. Now, it was merely a blur of dense, gray wisps desperately attempting to seize unto some sort of form.

A piercing growl finally startled Allen back to reality, and hoping that maybe Mana would be cooking breakfast by now, he quickly freshened up and got dressed. Unfortunately for the starving teen, both Mana and Neah were still zonked out in their respective rooms (it had taken Allen a while to spot Mana around the ridiculous stacks books in his room, and Neah had practically been drowning beneath a pile of music scores and Timcanpy's furry body). And as exasperating and amusing as it was, it didn't lessen Allen's hunger any less.

With a disgruntled pout, Allen trotted downstairs, hoping to raid the kitchen for some leftovers. Thankfully, all too aware of their endless appetites, Mana usually made sure of storing enough food to feed a small army. Allen grinned, loading his arms with food and spreading it out across the kitchen table, creating his own, personal feast. Not as good as Mana's fresh cooking, but the sheer amount made up for it.

Allen didn't waste a single second, and within minutes, all that was left were bare plates, some cutlery, and a couple of wrappers. The now, auburn-haired teen leaned back with a satisfied smile, nonchalantly picking up a discarded newspaper that Mana had been sifting through yesterday morning. He didn't really understand what was so appealing about it, and after reading a couple of mind-numbing stories of local town gossip and free trade overseas, Allen was about to dispose of it along with the rest of the mess, before something on the front page caught his eye.

 _November 4th, 1863_

Allen blinked. And blinked again. He then rubbed his eyes, and stared back at the paper, wondering if there had been some sort of typo. But no, it was still there. Scrunching his eyebrows with puzzlement, Allen sat back, mind racing. Last he heard, it was 1898, so how was it possible for the date to have reversed itself by 35 years? Was the Ark really that powerful? Powerful enough to send him back in time? But it couldn't even send him back in time during his own timeline, because how could he forget meeting Miranda, or avoiding a confrontation with Lavi?

But before he could tear his hair out from frustration and further aggravate his headache, a rapid knock echoed throughout the silent house. It took him a moment to process the noise, before he eventually shoved his tumultuous thoughts to the back of his brain and reluctantly lumbered out of the kitchen, briefly wondering who'd think to show up at their house, considering it was a good distance from the town.

"Uhh…" was the most coherent and appropriate response Allen could think up, staring with a slight gape at the miffed Road, who stood at the doorway, pointedly glaring at him.

She then tapped her foot impatiently, but when it became clear that he would not react further, she let herself in with a huff. "Are you kidding me, Allen?!"

"Eh?!" Allen scrambled after her, as she stepped into their living room and sat herself down. "Road, what are you doing here?"

Removing her coat and dusting off the snow that had begun to cover it, she folded it atop her lap and said primly, "No calls, no visits, not even a letter!"

Allen's mind blanked and all he could think to blurt out was, "It's snowing?"

Road's un-amused expression caused him to backtrack. "Um, wait. What on earth are you going on about, Road? Why did expect anything from me?"

 _What? Was the other Allen good friends with her something?!_ Allen wondered incredulously.

Her expression grew thunderous. "We had a deal!"

 _No. Nononono. How the hell do I get out of this?! I don't know what she's talking about!_ Allen grasped onto the first coherent thought and exclaimed, "I was sick!" _It was the excuse Mana and Neah had given for him… right?_

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, Allen, I _know_. _Everyone_ knows. You were gone for a bloody week and then came back with dyed hair and a tattoo! Thank God the dye finally faded away! Goodness, Allen! Look, I have no idea what's been going on with you, but I hardly care. Neah has yet to apologize, and seeing as how you're back, it is still your duty to fulfill your end of the bargain."

 _Bargain?!_ Allen fidgeted, still standing by the entrance to the living room. Finally, he fibbed, "And have you fulfilled your end?"

Road leaned back onto the couch, sighing heavily. "I _told_ you I was working on it. But seeing as how you suddenly disappeared, I figured it could wait. I mean, no point in encouraging her if you're not even around for her to do anything about it. Especially considering the lot of you didn't even show up for school yesterday."

" _Her_?" At this point, Allen was beyond confused.

Road tossed him an odd look. "Well duh. Lenalee? The girl you've been pinning after for the past year? Gosh, maybe you really _were_ sick…"

Allen's face abruptly colored red. _L-Lenalee?!_ But Allen shook his head instead. He'd worry about it later. "Um, r-right. _Anyway_ , I really don't know what you expect from me Road. How exactly do you want me to fulfill your end?" It was a bit of a leap, but whatever bargain had been made, there hopefully hadn't been any specific details mentioned. And even then, he might be able to get away with blaming it on being sick for a whole week.

"Ugh! Never mind. You are utterly incompetent!" she huffed, and Allen could only blanch. What happened to the cute and vicious girl that had had the ultimate (and extremely weird) crush on him? It left him flabbergasted, watching the sudden shift in attitude towards him. Not that he wasn't grateful—and maybe this time around, she wouldn't be shoving sharpened candlesticks into his eye. Allen shuddered at the memory.

"H-hey! What are you doing?!" Allen demanded, watching her rip out a page from one of Mana's constantly read books. He cringed, but fortunately, it had been a blank one from the beginning of it, though he was positive Mana would flip out in any case.

"I'm writing a note," Road muttered, snatching up a nearby pen and swiftly scribbling across the page. "Hey!"

Allen ignored her indignant exclamation, tearing the note out of her hands once she completed it, silver eyes gliding over the slanted penmanship.

 _Mana and Neah,_

 _Don't worry about my absence. Road stopped by and asked me to accompany her for the day. We'll most likely end up at her home either way, so if you need me, you can find me there._

 _Allen_

 _P.S. Sorry about your book Mana!_

The slip of paper was suddenly torn from his hands. Slapping it atop the coffee table, Road turned back and roughly grabbed him by the arm as she begin to drag him out of the house.

"W-wait! For goodness' sakes Road, at least let me go and grab a coat!" Allen demanded, exasperated.

"There," Road replied, seizing a random coat that hung from the coat rack beside the entrance to the house. She only paused to shut the doorway, and then continued to haul him through the thick, crunchy snow and onto the familiar path leading to town.

Eventually, the bitter wind that nipped at him became unbearable, so Allen forced her to come to a halt and finally had the chance to wrap himself up into the long, thick coat she'd given him. "The least you could do," Allen huffed, as he shoved his frozen hands into the pockets and walked beside her at a more sedate pace, "Is to tell me how dragging me out here is supposed to accomplish anything."

Road shook her head and mumbled something beneath her breath that Allen was unable to catch. She then turned to him, hair flattened on either side of her face from the snow that had melted in her normally spiky hair and weighed it down. " _You_ read the note. I believe it should be obvious at this point," she muttered, and then added, " _But_ , as it's clear it isn't, I'll explain. Since Neah, the bloody prat, isn't planning on apologizing, I figure that he'll freak out once he figures you're with _me_. That nitwit will probably accuse me of bewitching you or something just as daft, but I figure it's the first step to getting him to talk to me."

It took Allen a moment to process this, and even then, he was _still_ utterly befuddled. "Um, why don't _you_ just talk to _him_?"

Road stopped, _actually_ stopped, and turned to look at him like he was the stupidest thing she'd ever come across. Her lips parted and closed, as if unable to form words to describe _why_ that was the last thing she'd ever—

Allen quickly backtracked. "Okay! Never mind then…" _Girls are downright barmy…_

Road was still throwing him the occasional odd glance, but she eventually shook it off. "Right, this way then."

The rest of the walk through town was silent, and though Allen still felt uncomfortable casually hanging out with the once-Noah, he figured there would hell to pay if he tried ditching Road _now_. So he suffered in silence, until they reached a large mansion smack dab in the middle of town. His eyes widened a little, but he didn't say anything and continued following after the small-statured girl. And it was once they were inside and the maid had already taken their coats that Road rushed up the grand staircase, with only a quick call of, "I don't care what you do, just make sure to let me know when Neah barges in!"

Allen could only stand there, completely dumbfounded, before he eventually ambled into another room, slightly depressed. He continued on like so, before he stumbled into a large kitchen, gloriously packed with food. Figuring that after what Road had put him through, she owed him, he helped himself to snack, casually sitting at the kitchen table and praying that he wouldn't run into any more Noah.

Unfortunately, luck was not on his side (was it ever?).

"Boy, you better clean up this mess," Tyki grunted as he dragged himself into the kitchen and fumbled to make a cup of tea before quickly heading back out.

Allen blinked. _Well… at least that was painless,_ he admitted grudgingly before shoveling yet another pastry into his mouth and chewing on it thoughtfully. Just as he swallowed, yet another person barged into the kitchen through the doorway leading to the backyard, and making quite the spectacle of himself.

"Damn it arseholes, go to hell!" a white-haired teen that Allen vaguely recognized as Wisely shouted out into the snow-covered backyard, before slamming the door close with a bang, cursing up a storm as he tried to shake off the mounds of snow that encased him.

Allen blinked, then sighed and bit into another pastry. He was going to need a good amount of fuel if he was being cursed to deal with every member of the once-Noah. What a pain. _Why am I still here? It's not like Road made sure I would stick around… Then again, I'd probably just get lost in this stupid town and die of hypothermia or something equally as stupid,_ he thought with a grimace.

"Huh?" Wisely finally seemed to take note of his presence, and then nonchalantly shrugged it off. "Oh, hey Allen."

He then left.

With a bored groan, Allen sunk further into his seat, and just as he was beginning to contemplate screwing it all and attempting to get back home, Wisely returned, now dressed in warm and dry clothes. He ignored Allen in favor of rummaging through the cabinets. "Damn it, Allen! Did you eat all the bloody pastries?!"

"Eh?" Allen glanced at him and then back at the empty box that sat before him, only crumbs dusting it. "I guess so. I was hungry." He shrugged, seemingly not caring either way.

"Ugh! Sometimes I seriously hate you!" the other teen grumbled, face puckered in irritation. He then perked up. "Oh, I guess I can just raid Road's secret stash!" He disappeared once again and soon came back with another box, before plopping on the seat across from Allen. Before he dug in, he tossed Allen a quick glare. "I'm _not_ sharing with you!" In response to the auburn-haired boy's indignant expression, he sighed heavily and tossed him a single one from the box. " _There_! But no more!"

Allen shrugged, and figured he wouldn't look a horse gift in the mouth. But just as the teens were about to dig in, an angered shriek echoed through the house.

They shared wide-eyed stared, before they simultaneously gulped and uttered, " _Road_."

Before they could be caught red-handed, they bolted for the nearby door.

* * *

Allen leaned over, hands braced over his knees as he gasped for breath. "D-do you think she knows it was us?"

Gulping in as much air as possible, Wise rasped, "W-we can always blame it on the twins." The white-haired teen abruptly toppled over as a barge of snowballs slammed against him. "Gah!"

Whirling around, Allen stared with wide, moonlit eyes at the pair of twins standing behind them, smirks spreading widely across their faces. For a split second, Allen didn't recognize them, considering they actually looked _human_. Not only were the classical Noah traits missing, but so was the stitching across Jasdero's mouth, as well as the thick, black makeup that usually encased both their eyes. Additionally, they were wearing socially acceptable clothing. But the most shocking change of all was that Jasdero's beloved blonde wig was completely missing from the picture. Rather, his hair was the same length and color as Devitto's, though it had a bit of a wave to it. The only thing Allen even found recognizable, were their vicious expressions.

"Blame _what_ on us?" Devitto demanded, eyes narrowed and grin widening to show off his sharp canines.

Spluttering yet another string of curses, Wisely picked himself up with an indignant huff. "Bugger off you idiots."

A snowball to the face was his answer.

"No way!" Devitto shouted, Jasdero crying in agreement. "You still owe us a snowball fight! And no running away like a girl's petticoat this time!"

"I already said no! You guys fight just as dirty as Road, and unless she and Tyki are here to back me up, there's no way I'm playing against you two!" Wisely crossed his arms stubbornly, and begin to drag himself across the snow, but the twins exchanged a nasty grin and blocked his way.

"Then we guess you'll just have to stick with little ol' Allen over there~."

Allen gulped, and nervously stepped back. But it was too late. He'd already been dragged into it before he even knew what was going on.

* * *

"Get it together!" Wisely whispered furiously, smacking Allen upside the head. "This is war!"

Allen could only sigh. "I hate my life." Nonetheless, he softened his footsteps against the crunchy snow, as they slunk through the miniature forest that made up the backyard. They and the twins had agreed on a temporary break in order to stock up on more ammo (read: snowballs), but of course, the twins had yet to play nice. So rather, he and Wisely had ducked beneath their fort, pretending to make snowballs, when in reality they had slunk back into the cover of the trees and were making their way around, planning a surprise attack.

"There," Wisely said in barely a whisper, pointing to the backs of the snickering duo. "Quick, start making snowballs!"

Allen had to secretly admit, that this was somewhat fun. And although he'd rather be doing this with Mana and Neah, he couldn't help but smirk as Wisely shouted, "ATTACK!"

Quick as possible, they launched a flurry of snowballs, Devitto and Jasdero squawking in protest as they were practically buried beneath the mounds of snow. As soon as they ran out, Wisely seized Allen by the arm, and pulled him into a sprint. "Let's get back inside before they escape!" Allen didn't need to be told twice, and immediately matched Wisely's pace, and they soon launched themselves through the kitchen doorway, gasping for breath as they swiftly slammed the door close with dramatic bang.

"Quiet down," Tyki groused, flipping through the day's newspaper as he ate a light lunch of hot stew and warm bread. Allen's mouth practically watered at the sight, and without a second thought, he served himself a bowl, Wisely shrugging and following his lead.

It said a lot about how Allen had finally given up on the peculiar circumstances he'd found himself in, as he rescinded himself to having lunch with Tyki and Wisely. Fortunately, he didn't have to suffer through small talk, as Tyki hardly seemed interested in them, while Wisely shoved so much food into his mouth, it was a wonder he could even breath.

" _NEAH!_ " Road's squeal practically reverberated throughout the house.

Allen stood with a sigh. "And that's my cue." Neither of the once-Noah paid him much mind, so the auburn-haired boy shrugged and ambled out of the kitchen, momentarily getting lost, before he figured out that Road's voice was like a beacon.

"Allen, there you are!" Mana called over with a relieved sigh, pushing past the bickering couple and making his way over to Allen. "Glad to find you in one piece!" Mana beamed, clapping a hand over his shoulder.

Said teen smiled exhaustedly. "Only just."

"Heh, yeah," Mana chuckled sheepishly, "Sorry if we took too long, but we rushed over as soon as we found the note. I really _am_ glad you're alright though. After what happened last time we visited…" Mana visibly shuddered, and in response to Allen's perplexed gaze, he frantically shook his head, "Not exactly a memory you'll want to relive… _Anyway_ ," the bronze-eyed teen redirected the subject, "Why are you all wet? Though I'm surprised your hair isn't dripping the red off. I thought you washed out all this gunk last night."

Tugging at the dark locks with a grimace, Allen replied, "So did I. But I don't think it's coming off anytime. Did Neah get the permanent kind?"

"Hmm, could be," Mana replied thoughtfully, slipping off one of his gloves and rubbing a strand between his fingers. But when the color refused to come off, he shrugged. "Well, on the bright side," Mana grinned, "That awful tattoo is starting to chip off!"

Allen felt the world coming to a sudden halt. "W-what?"

Mana eyed him curiously before nodding over to a nearby mirror that hung on the wall. Almost reluctantly, Allen turned, hardly recognizing himself with the bright, auburn locks and almost half his scar in broken fragments that flaked off his skin. And behind him, where there once stood a Noah with a sinister grin, was nothing but a broken wisp.

Allen barely managed to choke out, "I-I have to go," before he sprinted out of the mansion and soon, off the grounds, ignoring the shouts that followed him.

* * *

 **A/N:** So, just one more chapter left. Hopefully I can reveal all the old ideas that burned in my mind a couple months. If I can remember them. Hehe. I'm just kidding, I wrote most of it down, and now all that's left is actually writing the chapter (which is more difficult than it looks), but I guess we'll see. Oh, and be sure to drop a review on your thoughts!


	5. Final Verdict

**A/N:** _And_ I'm back! Wow, I wrote that a lot quicker than expected… Though it's also on the short side. Normally, I can just call it the epilogue and be done with it, but this is still continuing off from the last chapter, so that wouldn't even make sense. So yeah, you get a short chapter. Sorry about that, but you should all be grateful I even wrote it!(: And as always, thank you so much to **WordsLeftBehind** , **i love pink** , **Takei Daloui** , **Deugemia** , **Twistedmind64** , **Lena-luvs-cats** , **XxxBellaBellaxxX** , **NeahWalker14th** , **amenokuma** , and **titania2811** for taking the time to leave your thoughts and comments! It's always fun getting to know the reactions of my readers, and I love knowing you guys are actually there!(:

As for this chapter, sorry if it sucks even a little. I was reading through it, and it doesn't feel like my best work… Then again, I somewhat forced it, since I wanted to get it over with. If anyone has any advice on improvement, that'd be greatly appreciated! But either way, I hope you all like it!

Enjoy!

* * *

 **Disclaimer** **:** In my own perfect, little world I like to think I own these characters. I've literally been writing and reading about them nonstop for over four years and it's like they're a part of me. Unfortunately, I'm only borrowing them for the time being.(:

* * *

Chapter 5

* * *

 **Time Frame —** **Afternoon of November 5th, 1863**

* * *

— **3rd Person POV—**

 **~Allen~**

Allen didn't bother paying attention to where he was headed, adrenaline-filled limbs pumping forward as he tore through the streets, thoughts racing furiously. _WHERE AM I?!_ was the predominant thought that constantly shouted over everything else. Where on earth had the Ark dragged him to?! Not the past—an alternate dimension?! A dream?! How was everything so perfect?! Everything that had ever pained him: Mana's death, the curse, the Fourteenth, his arm—wait! His arm! Not pausing for a second, Allen wrenched his sleeve up mid-sprint, eyes widening in horror as small chunks of Innocence began to flake off, similar to the curse-scar, regular human skin appearing beneath. He almost choked on his own breath, but continued to run even faster.

But how could such a reality (a reality in which everything was so perfect for him) exist?! Allen couldn't accept it—refused to accept it. He had known pain from the moment he was born, and he felt so utterly sick, recalling his comrades—how they were still fighting a war, facing death and carnage at every corner, overcoming all obstacles and becoming stronger to defeat the evil that plagued those in despair, as the Millenium Earl continued to take advantage of them all.

How could he just _leave_ them all to that fate?

But the Fourteenth… In a matter of hours, the Noah that clung to him would be snuffed from existence, and then the idea of ever returning would die with him. No Noah equaled no control over the Ark. And he would be stuck here, forever wondering what had become of those he cared for.

"Allen!" Mana gasped, catching up to him. Without even realizing it, Allen had slowed down to a halt, right at the base of the forest. The auburn-haired teen reluctantly turned, moonlit eyes filled with regret as he gazed at Mana, who had yet to catch his breath.

"But… I accepted your death so long ago, and _they're_ still surviving, waiting for me…" Allen murmured softly, inaudible to Mana's ears. _I_ want _to be selfish; to be happy living life with Mana and Neah_ _—_ _hell, even the Noah aren't so bad as humans, and even Lavi and Lenalee are here. But they're not the same people, and I'll only ever look at them as they once were. If only… If only I had really lost my memories…_

Allen swallowed thickly, stumbling back, not taking much note of Neah, who had only just caught up. "Allen," he gasped, gulping desperately for breaths of air, "W-what the hell?"

Swallowing the thick lump constricting his throat, Allen clenched his fists, coming to a decision. "Do you… do you guys recall asking me where I'd been during that week I was missing?"

"Of course," Mana replied, straightening up, expression crinkled with concern. He took a small, hesitant step forward, as if afraid Allen would take off any second. "A-are you ready to tell us about it?"

The silence was tense, as Allen shifted from foot to foot before finally admitting, "I have to return to that place. I'm sorry." Allen took a step back, and then another, but before he could turn, Neah called out.

"W-wait! Allen, are you fucking kidding me?!" Neah demanded, face contorting with rage. "Get the hell back here! You're not going anywhere."

Allen took a deep shuddering breath, teeth clenching. "Don't make this any harder than it has to be Neah. I've made my decision."

"Fine," it was Mana who surprisingly said this, tone clipped, features expressionless. He took another step forward, this time, more firm and confident. "Do it. But don't believe for a second that we won't be following you every step of the way."

Allen parted his lips, protest at ready, but Mana's determined face caused him to falter. "That's right!" Neah nodded, before Allen gained the courage to protest once more. "And there's nothing you can do to stop us!" Neah crossed his arms in a stubborn manner, earlier rage forgotten as he smirked at Allen.

 _The repercussions this could cause…_ Allen briefly thought, but even he couldn't convince his own self. _Oh, to hell with it I guess._ "Then I guess," he slowly began, a fond smile tugging at his lips, "You're coming with me."

* * *

"So, what exactly are we doing?" Neah asked, glancing about the forest clearing they currently found themselves in, expression already relaxed with boredom.

"Shhh," Allen hushed him, eyes closed in concentration, "I'm honestly not even sure if doing this is possible anymore. Just give me a second." Slowly, and with fingers crossed, Allen began to hum out the familiar melody. Fortunately, before Neah could demand how singing his own song would accomplish anything, Mana smacked him upside the head, (his other hand occupied with holding Timcanpy the puppy, as they refused to leave him behind), a glower thrown his way for good measure. So Allen continued, and just as Mana was contemplating interrupting him himself, a bright light began to envelope the clearing, bathing it with its luminescence. Mana and Neah could only gape in wonder, ogling the blinding shards of light that formed like misshapen puzzle pieces before them.

Allen gasped, feeling slightly breathless as he murmured, "I can't believe that worked. But only just…" He turned back to Mana and Neah, and it was then that he recalled where exactly he was dragging them to; a world ridden with war and demons. He faltered. "Listen, I—"

But before he could continue, Tim barked happily, seeming to spur Neah into action as the teen clamped a hand onto Mana's free forearm and pulled him forward, almost rushing past Allen, before he grabbed onto him too, and dragged them both through the gateway, stumbling into the radiant, white city that was the Ark. And as the brothers gazed about them in wonder, Allen flinched, hearing the doorway behind them permanently slamming shut. Turning, Allen gazed solemnly at the blank wall, knowing that now there would never be a chance of returning to that peaceful reality. But he had made his decision, and he would see it through.

When Allen noticed Mana drifting in a certain direction, he almost felt his heart come to a stop. "Wait! Not that way, Mana!" he called, rushing around the familiar corner, where Mana turned to him with a perplexed expression.

"What's the matter, Allen?" Mana eventually asked, while Allen could only scrutinize the lane beyond him, features a peculiar mixture of confusion and horror. Fortunately, Mana's voice brought him back to reality, and he shook his head in reply.

"Nothing, I could've sworn…" he trailed off, and as the moment passed, it was clear he would not elaborate further.

Neah caught up to them, and ignoring whatever strange atmosphere had enveloped them, he declared, "Mate, this place is brilliant! But uh, what exactly _is_ this place…?"

Allen sighed. "It's a very long and complicated story, and I wouldn't even know where to begin."

"Sheesh Allen," Neah rubbed the back of his head with a dubious expression, "You were only gone a week. Can't have been that complex of a story."

Mana elbowed him in the gut, and then smiled encouragingly at Allen. "How about you start at the beginning?"

"Trust me when I say that I don't even know where this story begins and ends," Allen pursed his lips in thought. "It's compiled of so many different backgrounds and stories, it is anything _but_ simple. But… I guess I could start by giving you a rundown of the basics."

* * *

Allen carefully regarded his reflection. _It's been a couple hours, but I doubt there'll be any change_ , he finally admitted with a small, inaudible sigh. Rather than returning to his previous appearance, it seemed that his new features had cemented. His hair had finally settled on a dark red, while the last of his cursed scar had deteriorated and flaked off, leaving a practically invisible impression underneath. Ultimately, the only thing that had really survived had been his left arm, as whatever damaged the Innocence had received was gradually beginning to repair itself. But what had really disturbed Allen even more was the absence of the Fourteenth at his back—only the wisp remained, and Allen had a feeling that that small part of the Noah would forever remained with him. The thought made him shudder, but it at least resolved _that_ problem.

"That's… insane." It was Neah who finally broke the silence, so Allen turned back to the duo (Timcanpy was currently exploring the Ark, making Allen briefly wonder if he would ever see his golem version again). They were currently occupying a room—an _actual_ room; yes, the Ark was capable of making those too—in which Allen had only touched upon the basics of the Holy War, explaining the sides of the Noah and the Black Order. He had been careful not to mention names—despite the fact that he'd vaguely describe his own world as an alternate dimension, he didn't want to freak them out, especially considering Neah was technically dating a version of one of them.

"But, there's one thing I don't understand," Mana eventually spoke up, a small furrow to his brow. "If this is a different world, how is it that you somewhat recognized _us_?"

Allen rubbed his forehead as it trying to keep a headache at bay. "And that's where it gets a little more… bizarre. Ultimately, it means that there are similar versions of the people _you_ know, running amuck in my world."

The brothers gaped at him, and Neah eventually exclaimed, "You mean we have doppelgangers?!"

The auburn-haired boy grimaced. "Not exactly…" How do you explain to someone that their alternate selves are pretty much dead? And if he explained it as bluntly as that, they'd demand the whole back story, which would bring up the fact that Neah was once a Noah and that Allen had always looked up to Mana as a father-figure. It would just get weird all around.

"Allen, did you have a close relation with our alternate selves?" Mana asked, curiosity piqued.

He chewed on the inside of his cheek, before finally replying lamely, "Like I said before, it's really complicated. And strange. On many different levels."

"Well you can't just leave us hanging like that!" Neah demanded. "What's my other self like? Is he—"

"I _think_ ," Mana cut in, "That this can probably wait till morning. Can't tell what time it is around here, but my internal clock is demanding sleep. How about we all get some rest before getting too tangled up in the happenings of this world?"

Allen couldn't help but toss him a grateful glance. "Sounds perfect!" he agreed, much to Neah's disgruntlement, and with a silent command, willed a couple of bedrooms to expand upon the sitting room they currently occupied. Before long, they all separated to their chosen rooms for a goodnight's rest. And personally, Allen couldn't be happier for the end of the most exhausting day of his life. Being back hadn't changed his status as a fugitive from the Order, and it would be that much more difficult to keep Mana and Neah safe, especially if the Noah were to recognize Neah. That was just a disaster waiting to happen.

Allen grimaced, rolling on the bed, as earlier thoughts returned to worry him. He was still confused about earlier; when he'd attempted to prevent Mana from turning around that corner, it was because he knew that's where a lot of the registered entrances that the Order used were located. He may have been considered a lost cause when it came to finding his way around most places, but he naturally knew the paths of the Ark like the back of his hand. And he honestly wouldn't have been surprised to find that Order might have deceased with the use if the Ark if they thought it to be dangerous, but that particular path had been surprisingly barren. None of the signs Bak Chang had put up were there, as well as whatever new contraptions he knew Komui and Bak liked to toss around back and forth. The sight had been slightly unsettling.

The teen felt himself drift in and out, doubts and worries still plaguing his mind, and when he finally thought he could calm them down to get some rest, an odd noise outside his room caused him to rouse. _What are Mana and Neah up to?_ Allen wondered, wearily getting up, and making his way towards the door. Cautiously pulling it open, silver eyes peeked out, immediately catching sight of Mana's wide-open door. Stepping out and curiously moving forward, Allen was surprised to find the bedroom empty, with random items knocked down, as if Mana had been tumbling around with absolutely no motor control. And the slight disaster led right to Neah's room, the door only a crack open.

Apprehensively, Allen tip-toed forward, pushing the door open. He suddenly felt as if his heart had suddenly made its way up his throat, choking him up completely.

"A-Allen, I think there's something wrong with us," Mana whimpered, kneeling beside Neah's bed, the brothers clutching onto each other, their expressions pained as they moaned in agony.

Allen stumbled back, the blood draining from his face in horror. "T-this can't be happening," Allen whispered in revulsion, as he studied the way splotches of graying skin spread like a disease, and the way their foreheads were drained of their blood, Stigmata imbedding themselves painfully across. "I—" Allen shook his head, taking a couple steps back before he turned and fled, clutching his ears in a pathetic attempt to ignore their protests.

* * *

 **Time Frame — Dawn of November 6th, 1863**

* * *

Allen stumbled along the cobblestone streets of a town he didn't know the name of, where he'd made his escape. _I'm such a damn idiot! Why didn't I see this coming?! If_ I _so easily could turn into_ their _Allen, why the hell didn't I realize that bringing Neah here could turn_ him _into a Noah?! And Mana! Oh, Mana…_ Allen's thoughts trailed off with taints of utter betrayal that made him want to dry heave once more. Had _his_ Mana also been a Noah?! Is this why the current Mana was being affected as such? The fact that he could think of no other explanation, hurt him deeply. He had become an Exorcist _for_ Mana! If he'd known; if he'd had the slightest knowledge of knowing that Mana was on the Earl's side, would he have chosen a different path? The very thought made him feel nauseous, and he had to pause for second, to shake away the thought.

But it still didn't lessen the betrayal. To think that Mana had been one of _them_ , and still _could_ be only brought a bitterness to him he didn't know he could contain. Eventually, the boy stumbled to the side of the street, before dropping onto his rear in a miserable pile of limbs. He ignored whatever odd looks he received as the roads became busier, all too willing to wallow in his misery. Ultimately though, he knew he would have to face _them_.

With a grimace, Allen was about to pick himself up, when he took note of a crumpled newspaper that had been blown beside him. Gingerly picking it up, he smoothed it out, wondering how long he'd been gone (maybe time had passed differently compared to where he'd been. It could have been months!). Unfortunately, he quickly paled.

 _November 6th, 1863_

 _1863?! How is it still 1863?! Unless we didn't travel back…? But if that were the case, Mana and Neah wouldn't have been affected like that!_ The paper between his fists between began to tear and shred from the pressure, knuckles white from how hard he clenched them. _I came back, but I'm still stuck 35 years in the past!_

Allen could feel himself beginning to hyperventilate, as his thoughts ran rampant, eventually connecting the dots. And he could only come to one solid conclusion. One that almost made him retch, right there and then.

"Mister? Mister, are you okay?" a young girlish voice asked from beside him, a tiny hand clamped on his shoulder. "Mister, are you sad? Do you want to cry?"

Slowly, Allen turned to her, a lame excuse ready on his lips, but he was forced to stop short. The girl (maybe ten or eleven years old) that stood beside him had a frightening resemblance to Road. The difference though, was this girl's truly innocent expression.

"Mister?"

There was no doubt about it. By bringing Mana and Neah here, Allen had been the catalyst for everything to come.

* * *

 **A/N:** You should have all seen this coming. At least, the time traveling part! I mean, what? I've written like three other time travel stories for **D. Gray-Man**? Yeah… Anyway, hoped you enjoyed that short little story, and sorry it took me so long to get this out.

Anybody have any suggestions for new stories? I've completed most of the on-going ones I have, and I'm kind of at a blank…

Don't forget to drop a review!(:


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